A fire burned one acre of vegetation near Valley Center Saturday morning, sparking a large, swift response from fire crews.
“My wife called me and told me there was a fire near to the house,” homeowner Jacinto Becerril told NBC 7. “But by the time I got here the fire was already out thanks to the fire department, they responded right away.”
The fire began around 10:45 a.m. near Couser Canyon Road and the 11000 block of Calle Oro Verde, Cal Fire officials confirmed. One NBC 7 viewer said she counted multiple fire engines rushing to the blaze; she said planes could be seen tackling the fire from above.
“There were a couple helicopters flying over the fire and then a bunch of trucks came over … If you’re a little bit up the hill you can see the guys are still working on it, which is really nice.”
Cal Fire officials said many units were dispatched to the "Couser Fire."
By 11:43 a.m., Cal Fire said the forward rate of spread of the fire had been stopped. Officials said firefighters would remain at the scene for at least three hours to monitor the situation.
Just before 3 p.m., Cal Fire confirmed the blaze was fully controlled and holding at one acre. Crews remained on the scene extinguishing hot spots and mopping up. No further details were immediately released, including the cause of the Couser Fire.
The temperature in Valley Center Saturday was 90 degrees, as San Diego County endured a hot, dry weekend. Earlier this week, Santa Ana conditions were forecasted and a fire weather watch was issued by the National Weather Service, but that advisory was later cancelled. Still, NBC 7's Whitney Southwick said Friday that the county was in for very hot temperatures and dry conditions, also known to fuel October wildfires in San Diego.
